It has been referred to as the world oldest profession and is illegal in the United States except for some areas of Nevada (Chianese). It is estimated that over 1 million women have been a prostitute at some point in their lives, in the United States (Prostitutes' Education Network, 2007).Prostitution is the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money (merriam-webster). Not only do men and women trade sex for money but they can also use it as a tool to gain goods, services, and relationships (Liberator, 2004). Sexual relationships are a primal desire (Liberator, 2004). Even within a marriage sex is usually deemed to be “for sale” (Liberator, 2004). One partner will do something for the other in order to have sex. Choice is still available; consent is occurring, but none the less a trade of some sort is being done with no consequences of the law (Liberator, 2004).
Legalizing Prostitution Pros:
Some believe that prostitution is a way for women to gain economical independence from men, others believe that if women had all the same opportunities as men then they would not need to sell themselves (Ryle, 2012). Prostitution provides a sexual outlet for those who may not have one (Chianese). Prostitution benefits the provider with income, and the purchaser with sexual gratification (Chianese). Legalizing prostitution would reduce crime, increase tax revenue, allow for public health inspection, remove prostitution from the streets and permit consenting adults to make their own decisions about sexual activity (ProCon.org).
1. Reduce Crime:
Every year in the United States between 70,000 and 80,000 people are arrested for prostitution; at a total cost of $200 million dollars to the tax payers (11 Points).
2. Increase Tax Revenue:
Based on information from counties, in Nevada, where prostitution is legal, the United States would stand to gain $20 billion per year in tax revenue (emich).
3. Public Health Inspection:
Prostitutes experience a great deal of violence. Half of prostitutes in the first year experience some form of physical violence and nearly ¼ will suffer injury so severe that they will have broken bones, and some even sustain life threatening injury (Raymond). Many prostitutes contract STD’s such as HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, human papilloma virus, and syphilis (Raymond). Unwanted pregnancy is also another problem associated with prostitution (Raymond).
Legalizing Prostitution- Cons:
Those opposed to legalizing prostitution would encourage people to become more sexual. They also believe that this would increase STD�s, global human trafficking, and violent crime against the person selling their body. They believe that prostitution is morally wrong, exploits those offering sexual activities for money, and gives added power to those who already have criminal intent. Most of all they are concerned about how legalizing prostitution will cause men to have more control over women. (ProCon.org)
1.Sex Trade Increases:
When the Netherlands decriminalized prostitution, it increased the sex trade in that country significantly. It is also believed that women are brought to the Netherlands against their will to work in the countries brothels. Many countries believe that legalizing prostitution will take the practice off the streets and bring it into legal brothels where it can be regulated. Many women still choose to remain on the street because they feel that they are being overly controlled. (Raymond, 2003)
2. Increase in Sexually Transmitted Diseases:
In countries where prostitution is legal the people who are selling sexual acts are tested for STD�s, but the people purchasing the sexual acts are not. There are suppose to be enforced condom laws, but up to 75% of people soliciting sex will pay a higher fee to avoid wearing one. (Raymond, 2003)
3. Women lose choice:
Women state that prostitution was not a profession that they chose to pursue. It was their last option. Once entering the sex trade, women felt that they needed to be who the men wanted them to be. Yes, they were earning money for a service, but they felt as if they had no other options. (Raymond, 2003)
Legalizing prostitution has its pros and cons. I feel as if we would need to keep our minds open to the possibilities of the changes that legalizing prostitution could bring to the legal system and the country.
Plan of Action
I would begin this process small to try and gain local support. To gain support on the local college campus I would set up an informational stand. Once I have a group of interested people we would begin to have formal meetings. To gain further support we would need to branch out past the campus. Our group could build a facebook page that would gain interest in the cause over the internet. We could then plan larger functions in many counties within New York State, eventually building until we can gather enough support to change the laws about prostitution in the state. Action Plan Title: Legalizing Prostitution
Mission Statement: Recognizing that there is a problem with safety, sexually transmitted diseases, and income in prostitution situations, we are committed to informing the public about the need to legalize and regulate prostitution to create a safer environment and economic independence for prostitutes.
Goal:To raise awareness about the negative effects that illegal prostitution has on female prostitutes and to eventually change the law.
Action Steps What Will Be Done?
Responsibilities Who Will Do It?
Timeline By When? (Day/Month)
Resources
Resources Available
Resources Needed (financial, human, political & other)
Potential Barriers
What individuals or organizations might resist?
How?
Communications Plan Who is involved? What methods? How often?
Step 1: Develop a presentation for viewing that will gather support for the cause
Group leader
By June 1, 2012
Knowledge of topic
Supplies for presentation
Money for supplies
A.
B.
Group leader is involved
Step 2: Set up display at local college to gather support
Group leader
First day of classes Fall semester 2012
Miller Campus Center
Permission from Student Government Association, and SUNY Canton
SGA, SUNY Canton
Refuse to allow the table
Group leader will be involved in getting the proper permission, by means of face to face conversation and written note of approval each time we would like to set table up to gather support.
Step 3: Have an organizational meeting with those interested in legalizing prostitution
Group leader
1 month after first informational day is held
Room for meeting, fliers announcing the meeting, web announcement of the meeting
SUNY Canton
Refuse to let meetings be held on campus
Group leader must get authorization for meeting from SGA and SUNY Canton with verbal or written communication for each meeting.
Step 3: Create social media to gather support for the cause, Re: Blog, Facebook page
Group media specialist
1 month from first informational meeting
Computer
Group media specialist will be in charge of producing the sites. Final approval will be need a majority vote by the group to be launched via the web.
Step 5: Elect a board to lead the group
Group leader
At second meeting
A. B. Ballots, tabulators
May not have people who are interested in leading the group
B.
Step 6: Branch out to other colleges
Group leader
1 year from start of new organization
A.
Authorization to have information table
Other colleges may not be interested in having this topic presented at their institution
Refuse to allow information to be presented
All current group members can be involved in manning the table at various times.
Step 7: Informational march at the state capitol
Group leader
Once we have 2000 followers
A.
B. Permits to have a informational picket, literature to pass during picket, signs to display during picket, financial resources
A. Government might resist
B. Permits may not be authorized
Group leader is in charge of getting permit. March will be publicized on the social media sites.
Evidence Of Success(How will you know that you are making progress? What are your benchmarks?) Success will be measured by the number of people that show support locally within the group. Then we will measure success by followers on our social media sites. Once enough follower are involved we could have informational pickets at the state capitol.
Evaluation Process(How will you determine that your goal has been reached? What are your measures?) Our goal is to change legislation. Our goal will be reached once prostitution has been legalized.
Budget: Initially we will only need money to make displays for information tables to gain support. ($100) We may need money to pay for the meeting room ($100-$250 per meeting.) Prior to the informational picket we will need money for brochure and signs (up to $1000). Fundraisers will have to be held to raise money and accounts will have to be set up to accept donations.
Prostitution:
It has been referred to as the world oldest profession and is illegal in the United States except for some areas of Nevada (Chianese). It is estimated that over 1 million women have been a prostitute at some point in their lives, in the United States (Prostitutes' Education Network, 2007). Prostitution is the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money (merriam-webster). Not only do men and women trade sex for money but they can also use it as a tool to gain goods, services, and relationships (Liberator, 2004). Sexual relationships are a primal desire (Liberator, 2004). Even within a marriage sex is usually deemed to be “for sale” (Liberator, 2004). One partner will do something for the other in order to have sex. Choice is still available; consent is occurring, but none the less a trade of some sort is being done with no consequences of the law (Liberator, 2004).
Legalizing Prostitution Pros:
Some believe that prostitution is a way for women to gain economical independence from men, others believe that if women had all the same opportunities as men then they would not need to sell themselves (Ryle, 2012). Prostitution provides a sexual outlet for those who may not have one (Chianese). Prostitution benefits the provider with income, and the purchaser with sexual gratification (Chianese). Legalizing prostitution would reduce crime, increase tax revenue, allow for public health inspection, remove prostitution from the streets and permit consenting adults to make their own decisions about sexual activity (ProCon.org).
1. Reduce Crime:
Every year in the United States between 70,000 and 80,000 people are arrested for prostitution; at a total cost of $200 million dollars to the tax payers (11 Points).
2. Increase Tax Revenue:
Based on information from counties, in Nevada, where prostitution is legal, the United States would stand to gain $20 billion per year in tax revenue (emich).
3. Public Health Inspection:
Prostitutes experience a great deal of violence. Half of prostitutes in the first year experience some form of physical violence and nearly ¼ will suffer injury so severe that they will have broken bones, and some even sustain life threatening injury (Raymond). Many prostitutes contract STD’s such as HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, human papilloma virus, and syphilis (Raymond). Unwanted pregnancy is also another problem associated with prostitution (Raymond).
Legalizing Prostitution- Cons:
Those opposed to legalizing prostitution would encourage people to become more sexual. They also believe that this would increase STD�s, global human trafficking, and violent crime against the person selling their body. They believe that prostitution is morally wrong, exploits those offering sexual activities for money, and gives added power to those who already have criminal intent. Most of all they are concerned about how legalizing prostitution will cause men to have more control over women. (ProCon.org)
1.Sex Trade Increases:
When the Netherlands decriminalized prostitution, it increased the sex trade in that country significantly. It is also believed that women are brought to the Netherlands against their will to work in the countries brothels. Many countries believe that legalizing prostitution will take the practice off the streets and bring it into legal brothels where it can be regulated. Many women still choose to remain on the street because they feel that they are being overly controlled. (Raymond, 2003)
2. Increase in Sexually Transmitted Diseases:
In countries where prostitution is legal the people who are selling sexual acts are tested for STD�s, but the people purchasing the sexual acts are not. There are suppose to be enforced condom laws, but up to 75% of people soliciting sex will pay a higher fee to avoid wearing one. (Raymond, 2003)
3. Women lose choice:
Women state that prostitution was not a profession that they chose to pursue. It was their last option. Once entering the sex trade, women felt that they needed to be who the men wanted them to be. Yes, they were earning money for a service, but they felt as if they had no other options. (Raymond, 2003)
Legalizing prostitution has its pros and cons. I feel as if we would need to keep our minds open to the possibilities of the changes that legalizing prostitution could bring to the legal system and the country.
Plan of Action
I would begin this process small to try and gain local support. To gain support on the local college campus I would set up an informational stand. Once I have a group of interested people we would begin to have formal meetings. To gain further support we would need to branch out past the campus. Our group could build a facebook page that would gain interest in the cause over the internet. We could then plan larger functions in many counties within New York State, eventually building until we can gather enough support to change the laws about prostitution in the state.
Action Plan
Title: Legalizing Prostitution
Mission Statement: Recognizing that there is a problem with safety, sexually transmitted diseases, and income in prostitution situations, we are committed to informing the public about the need to legalize and regulate prostitution to create a safer environment and economic independence for prostitutes.
Goal: To raise awareness about the negative effects that illegal prostitution has on female prostitutes and to eventually change the law.
What Will Be Done?
Who Will Do It?
By When? (Day/Month)
Who is involved?
What methods?
How often?
- Knowledge of topic
- Supplies for presentation
Money for suppliesB.
B. Ballots, tabulators
B.
B. Permits to have a informational picket, literature to pass during picket, signs to display during picket, financial resources
B. Permits may not be authorized
Evidence Of Success (How will you know that you are making progress? What are your benchmarks?) Success will be measured by the number of people that show support locally within the group. Then we will measure success by followers on our social media sites. Once enough follower are involved we could have informational pickets at the state capitol.
Evaluation Process (How will you determine that your goal has been reached? What are your measures?) Our goal is to change legislation. Our goal will be reached once prostitution has been legalized.
Budget: Initially we will only need money to make displays for information tables to gain support. ($100) We may need money to pay for the meeting room ($100-$250 per meeting.) Prior to the informational picket we will need money for brochure and signs (up to $1000).
Fundraisers will have to be held to raise money and accounts will have to be set up to accept donations.
Media Coverage: Legalizing Prostitution
References: Linked within the text